The Polyphony Database
polyphonydatabase@gmail.com
About the database❯
PolyphonyDatabase.com is a detailed catalogue of early music sources designed to help musicians perform, academics study, and enthusiasts explore a vast and glorious repertoire quickly and easily. It aims to combine the practicality of CPDL with the academic rigour and ambition of the RISM census, to make use of similar projects where possible, and to directly combat the frustrations performing musicians have with all existing resources.
Its three main goals are:
- To assist performers, directors, and editors by cataloguing the contents of primary sources, source concordances, and basic information about how each piece of music can be performed.
- To provide a reliable starting point for academic research by linking to library catalogues, other existing databases, and facsimile images of early music manuscripts and prints.
- To provide a repository for properly sourced critical editions, performing scores, and recordings of as much of this music as possible, each carefully vetted for typesetting quality and accuracy, and made available for free download, so that this music might be discovered and appreciated by a wider audience.
The database was founded by Francis Bevan in 2014 as an outlet for his editing hobby and is regularly updated by him and a small team of enthusiasts. If you would like to contribute some cataloguing time, recordings or editions, submit corrections, commission an edition or just donate some cash, please get in touch with Francis via email: polyphonydatabase@gmail.com. Read more about the project's history at the 2018 Crowdfunder page.
The best way to help fund the project is to commission performing editions. New editions can be made quickly for as little as £10.
Understanding the clef images
A red clef means the voice is missing from this source. Where there are no concordances to fill in the gaps, this means the piece will require reconstruction.
A green clef means the voice is incomplete in this source. This might denote a fragment of a larger work, or a e.g. canonic voice that isn't written out in full.
A faded clef means much of the piece can be performed without this voice. For example, an extra 6th voice in the Agnus Dei of an otherwise 5vv Mass setting, or a short gimel in a big votive antiphon. Filtering by number of voices will exclude these clefs, while filtering by a specific voice combination will include them.
A blue clef denotes a voice that uses more than one clef in this source - this is particularly prevalent in earlier printed sources. We've estimated the larger clef on the left to be the most used to give an idea of voice distribution at a glance.
An X clef is used as a placeholder for voices we know are necessary, but haven't yet worked out which! This can be because there are no extant sources for a missing voice and no reconstruction has yet been attempted (it will normally become obvious which voice is missing once editing starts), or because we have catalogued a source from an incomplete facsimile that we know to be complete elsewhere.
Title |
Function(s) |
Composer |
# |
Sources |
Who speaks thee fair unto thy face
|
|
Whythorne, Thomas
1528–1596
|
2 |
|
Who's this, that leaning on her friend
|
|
Gibbons, Orlando
1583–1625
|
2 |
|
Who that for truth decrees
|
|
Whythorne, Thomas
1528–1596
|
3 |
Songs, for three, fower, and five voy... (RISM W992)
Songs, for three, fower, and five voyces, composed and made by Thomas Whythorne
London, 1571
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#9
|
|
Attrib: Thomas Whythorne |
|
|
Who that to quassing is bent
|
|
Whythorne, Thomas
1528–1596
|
5 |
Songs, for three, fower, and five voy... (RISM W992)
Songs, for three, fower, and five voyces, composed and made by Thomas Whythorne
London, 1571
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#68
|
|
Attrib: Thomas Whythorne |
|
|
Who that will weigh of ages all
|
|
Whythorne, Thomas
1528–1596
|
4 |
Songs, for three, fower, and five voy... (RISM W992)
Songs, for three, fower, and five voyces, composed and made by Thomas Whythorne
London, 1571
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#33
|
|
Attrib: Thomas Whythorne |
For Children |
|
Who trusts for trust - Who thinkes
|
|
Peerson, Martin
1571-1573–1651
|
5 |
Mottects or grave Chamber Musique Con... (RISM P1136)
Mottects or grave Chamber Musique Containing Songs of five parts of severall sorts, some ful, and some Verse and Chorus. But all fit for Voyces and Viols, with an Organ Part; which for want of Organs, may be performed on Virginals, Bass-Lute, Bandora, or Irish Harpe.
London: Stansby, William, 1630
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#11
|
|
Attrib: Martin Peerson |
|
|
Who vowes devotion to faire bewties shrine
|
|
Carlton, Richard
c.1558–c.1638
|
5 |
|
Why are our summer sports so brittle?
|
|
East, Michael
c.1580–1648
|
4 |
The Fourth Set of Bookes, Wherein are... (RISM E7)
The Fourth Set of Bookes, Wherein are Anthemes for Versus and Chorus, Madrigals, and Songs of other kindes, to 4, 5, and 6 Parts: apt for Viols and Voyces
London: Snodham, Thomas, 1624
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#3
|
|
Attrib: Michaell East |
|
|
Why art thou so full of heaviness O my soul
|
|
Tomkins, Thomas
1572–1656
|
5 |
Musica Deo Sacra & Ecclesiae Anglican... (RISM T950)
Musica Deo Sacra & Ecclesiae Anglicanae: or, Musick dedicated to the honor and service of God, and to the use of Cathedral and other Churches of England, especially of the Chappel-Royal of King Charles the First.
London: Godbid, William, 1668
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#28
|
|
Attrib: Thomas Tomkins |
Psalm 42:6-7. Has alternate underlay 'Domine tu eruisti animam meam' (not in Tenor) |
|
Why do I use my paper ink and pen
David Fraser (SAATB)
Alamire & Fretwork
|
(Alleluia) |
Byrd, William
c.1540–1623
|
5 |
(GB-Ob Mus.Sch.e.423)
Oxford, c.1575-1586
(Partbook, MS)
#22
|
|
Attrib: Anon |
|
Dow partbooks (GB-Och 984-988)
Oxford: Baldwin, John and Dow, Robert, c.1581-c.1588
(Partbook, MS)
#64
|
|
Attrib: Mr Wm Birde |
Solo + 4 instruments |
Psalmes, Sonets, & songs of sadness a... (RISM B5209)
Psalmes, Sonets, & songs of sadness and pietie, made into Musicke of five parts: whereof, some of them going abroad among divers, in untrue coppies, are heere truely corrected, and th'other being Songs very rare and newly composed, are heere published, for the recreation of all such as delight in Musicke
London: East, Thomas, 1588
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#33
|
|
Attrib: William Byrd |
|
Sambrook book (US-NYp Drexel 4302)
London: Tregian, Francis (ii), 1613-1619
(Score, MS)
RISM
#20
|
|
Attrib: William Bird |
|
|
Why dost thou shoot
|
|
Wilbye, John
1574–1638
|
6 |
|
Why shall not I
|
|
Anon
|
3 |
|
Why sit I heere complayning
|
|
Morley, Thomas
1557/1558–1602
|
4 |
|
Wie lang sol sich - Ich hoffe aber darauf
|
|
Heinsius, Petrus
|
5 |
|
Will dann nicht anders werden draus - Zu dir all' unser Hoffnung steht
|
|
Meiland, Jacob
1542–1577
|
5 |
|
Willt du mit gmach, ain sach, nach nutz
|
|
Frosch, Johannes
|
4 |
|
Wipe away my sins
|
|
Anon
|
5 |
(GB-Ckc Rowe 316)
Cambridge, 1565
(Partbook, MS)
#4
|
|
Attrib: Anon |
as Wipe away my sins |
|
Wir dancten dir
|
|
Meiland, Jacob
1542–1577
|
4 |
Sacrae aliquot cantiones Latinae et G... (RISM M2179)
Sacrae aliquot cantiones Latinae et Germanicae, quinque et quatuor vocum, summa diligentia compositae, correctae, et iam primum in lucem editae
Frankfurt: Corvinus, Georg and Feyerabend, Sigmund, 1575
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#27
|
|
Attrib: Iacobo Meilando Germano |
|
|
Wir danken Gott für seine
|
|
Steurlein, Johann
1546–1613
|
4 |
|
Wir glauben all' an einen Gott
|
|
Grimm, Heinrich
1592-1593–1637
|
4 |
|
Wir glauben allan einen Gott
|
|
Meiland, Jacob
1542–1577
|
5 |
Sacrae aliquot cantiones Latinae et G... (RISM M2179)
Sacrae aliquot cantiones Latinae et Germanicae, quinque et quatuor vocum, summa diligentia compositae, correctae, et iam primum in lucem editae
Frankfurt: Corvinus, Georg and Feyerabend, Sigmund, 1575
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#16
|
|
Attrib: Iacobo Meilando Germano |
|
|
With angel's face and brightness
|
|
Norcomb, Daniel
|
5 |
(US-NYp Drexel 4180-4185)
New York: Merro, John, 1600-1650
(Partbook, MS)
#209
|
|
Attrib: Anon |
|
The Triumphes of Oriana, to 5. and 6.... (RISM 1601/16)
The Triumphes of Oriana, to 5. and 6. voices: composed by divers seuerall aucthors. Newly published by Thomas Morley Batcheler of Musick, and one of the gentlemen of her Maiesties honorable Chappell.
London: East, Thomas and Morley, Thomas, 1601
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#2
|
|
Attrib: Daniell Norcome |
|
|
With angel's face and brightness
|
|
Kirbye, George
d.1634
|
6 |
The Triumphes of Oriana, to 5. and 6.... (RISM 1601/16)
The Triumphes of Oriana, to 5. and 6. voices: composed by divers seuerall aucthors. Newly published by Thomas Morley Batcheler of Musick, and one of the gentlemen of her Maiesties honorable Chappell.
London: East, Thomas and Morley, Thomas, 1601
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#21
|
|
Attrib: George Kirbye |
|
|
Withdraw not thou thy mercy from me O Lord
|
|
Tomkins, Thomas
1572–1656
|
5 |
Musica Deo Sacra & Ecclesiae Anglican... (RISM T950)
Musica Deo Sacra & Ecclesiae Anglicanae: or, Musick dedicated to the honor and service of God, and to the use of Cathedral and other Churches of England, especially of the Chappel-Royal of King Charles the First.
London: Godbid, William, 1668
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#30
|
|
Attrib: Thomas Tomkins |
Psalm 40:14-16 |
|
Withdraw yourselves ye shepherds
|
|
Cobbold, William
1559/1560–1639
|
5 |
The Triumphes of Oriana, to 5. and 6.... (RISM 1601/16)
The Triumphes of Oriana, to 5. and 6. voices: composed by divers seuerall aucthors. Newly published by Thomas Morley Batcheler of Musick, and one of the gentlemen of her Maiesties honorable Chappell.
London: East, Thomas and Morley, Thomas, 1601
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#13
|
|
Attrib: William Cobbold |
|
|